This invention relates to a novel and economical process to break down particles of cellulose-containing plants into smaller polymers and compounds, and in the process, they react with the oxidated silicon compounds which are highly reactive chemically and are soluble in water and/or common organic solvents.
This process requires temperatures high enough to melt the solid alkali metal hydroxide in order for it to react with the cellulose-containing plants and oxidated silicon compounds. It is not necessary to remove the lignin from wood in the process of this invention. When an organic or inorganic acid compound is added to the alkali metal-cellulose-silicate condensation product, carbon dioxide is given off. This carbon dioxide may be used to produce foamed products. The alkali metal-cellulose, silicate condensation product is a dark brown, said product which softens at about 150.degree. C. and becomes a thick liquid between 150.degree. C. to 200.degree. C.
When wood is used as the cellulose-containing plant, the usual lignin-cellulose bond is not broken in most cases, but the molecules of cellulose are broken down into smaller molecules and react with the oxidated silicon compounds to produce alkali metal-cellulose-silicate condensation products. These condensation products are highly reactive chemically, especially with aldehydes, furan compounds, polyisocyanates, polyurethane prepolymers, polyisocyanate silicate prepolymers, isocyanates, ketones, vinyl acetate, acrylic acid monomers, allyl halides, polyfunctioning alkylating agents, monofunctional alkylating agents, acrylic acid compounds with other vinyl monomers, epihalohydrins with polyamines, sulfur, silicon halides, organic polyhalides and polyamines, furfuryl alcohol, compounds which contain halogen atoms capable of being quaternized or R-SO.sub.2 -groups, epoxide compounds, aldehydes and phenols, aldehydes and amino compounds, vinyl acetate with other vinyl monomers, halodydrins and mixtures thereof.
An aqueous solution of the alkali metal-cellulose-silicate condensation product may be used commercially to react with polyisocyanates, isocyanate-terminated polyurethane prepolymers, polyisocyanate silicate prepolymers and isocyanate-terminated polyurethane silicate prepolymers. The aqueous solution of the alkali metal-cellular-silicates may produce novel and useful products by being polymerized with aldehydes, furfuryl alcohol, halohydrins, epihalohydrins and polyamines, ketones, organic epoxides, vinyl monomers, allyl halides, organic polyhalides, organic halides, organic acid sulfates, organic poly(acid sulphates), organic nitrates, organic polynitrates, organic acid phosphates, organic poly(acid phosphates), organic bicarbonates, organic poly(bicarbonate compounds containing radicals), organic compounds containing formate radicals, organic compounds containing poly(formate) radicals, organic compounds containing acetate, propionate laurate, oleate, stearate, oxalate, acid malonate, acid tartrate, acid citrate radical and mixtures thereof, sulfur and mixtures thereof.
The water-soluble alkali metal-cellulose-silicate condensation product may be precipitated by the addition of a salt-forming compound, such as an organic or inorganic acid. The water is filtered off. The water contains 5% to 30% by weight of water-soluble cellulose-containing plant polymers; these may be recovered by evaporating the water. The precipitated cellulose-silicate condensation product is in the form of dark brown- to black-colored fine particles which are soluble in acetic acid, alcohols, dilute alkali hydroxide solutions and other organic solvents.
The cellulose-silicate reaction product will react chemically with isocyanate compounds, polysocyanate compounds, polythiocyanates, thiocyanates, polyurethane prepolymers, polyisocyanate silicate prepolymers, polyurethane silicate prepolymers, silicon halides, polycarboxyl acids and their corresponding anhydrides, organic epoxides, aldehydes, ketones, furfuryl alcohol, epihalohydrins and mixtures thereof.
At least 3 components are used to produce alkali metal-cellulose-silicate condensation product such as:
Component A: Cellulose-containing plants;
Component B: Oxidated silicon compound;
Component C: Alkali metal hydroxide.